Georgia to Texas: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Texas has no reciprocity agreement with Georgia. A Georgia journeyman plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state journeyman or master plumber: exam eligibility without Texas apprenticeship or 48-hour training
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
A plumber who currently holds a Journeyman or Master Plumber license issued by another state may apply directly for the Texas Journeyman Plumber Examination; the out-of-state license takes the place of the Texas apprentice registration or Tradesman license that in-state applicants need, and TSBPE's journeyman and exam-training pages state that such licensees 'do not have to complete the 48-hour training program.' The applicant must still document at least 8,000 hours of plumbing-trade experience on Employer Certification Forms (out-of-state hours count), submit fingerprints, pay the $40 exam fee, pass the Texas exam and then pay the $40 license fee. TSBPE's pages describe no exam waiver, but Occupations Code §1301.3581 (2021) lets the Board waive any prerequisite for a holder of a substantially equivalent license and says such an applicant 'may not be required to undergo an examination' if the equivalent license has been held at least two years; the Board has not published rules, equivalency findings or a separate form implementing this, so applicants should expect to test unless TSBPE grants a waiver on request. There is no separate Texas law or business exam at this level.
TSBPE's journeyman page treats an out-of-state license as exam eligibility and waives only the 48-hour training. Occupations Code §1301.3581 may let the Board skip the exam if you have held a substantially equivalent license for at least two years, but TSBPE has not published a form or partner-state list for that. Plan to take the Texas exam unless the Board tells you otherwise. See https://tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/journeyman.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Georgia license must be active and in good standing.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.At least 8,000 hours of experience working in the plumbing trade, documented on TSBPE Employer Certification Form(s) signed by the employer; Occ. Code §1301.354(c)/(c-1) allows up to 1,000 hours of credit for the classroom portion of a DOL apprenticeship and up to 250 hours for an approved CTE course sequence.
- US citizen or national, or an alien or non-immigrant eligible for licensure by the State of Texas
- You must have held your Georgia license for at least 2 years.Only relevant to a statutory exam waiver: Occ. Code §1301.3581(d) applies to an applicant who has held an equivalent license in another jurisdiction for at least two years. Not a condition for sitting the exam.
What you'll do to get licensed in Texas
- 1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($40). Journeyman Plumber Examination application fee payable to TSBPE (listed as 'Exam Fee: $40'); the page does not state whether a separate Pearson VUE seat fee applies.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Texas Journeyman Plumber Examination (required unless TSBPE grants a waiver under Occ. Code §1301.3581 for a substantially equivalent license held at least two years); passing score set by the Board.
- 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($40). Initial license fee for the certificate of licensure and pocket card after passing; renewal $40 per year (late: $20 within 90 days, $40 after 90 days).
- 4Background check. Complete a background check. One-time fingerprint submission for a DPS/FBI criminal history check (Occ. Code §1301.3515); Supplemental Criminal History Information Form if convicted of a felony.
- 5Other. Employer Certification Form(s) documenting the 8,000 hours, plus a copy of the current out-of-state Journeyman or Master Plumber license.
- 6Other. 48-hour TSBPE training program - waived for holders of a current out-of-state Journeyman or Master Plumber license (if applicable).
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of TSBPE-approved continuing professional education each year to renew, three hours in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation (Occ. Code §1301.404).
Published fees on this path total $80, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Exam fee · $40
- Trade exam
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Other · if applicable
- Continuing education
How Texas licenses journeyman plumbers
Texas journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)
Texas licenses Journeyman Plumbers statewide through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), which also issues Tradesman Plumber-Limited, Master Plumber and Plumbing Inspector licenses and registers Plumber's Apprentices. A new applicant must be a registered Texas apprentice (or Tradesman Plumber-Limited), document at least 8,000 hours of plumbing experience on Employer Certification Forms, complete a TSBPE-approved 48-hour training program (waived for DOL apprenticeship enrollees/graduates, AAS plumbing-technology graduates and out-of-state journeyman or master licensees), submit fingerprints for a DPS/FBI criminal history check, pay a $40 exam fee, pass the Journeyman Plumber Examination and pay a $40 initial license fee. Licenses renew annually for $40 and require six hours of continuing professional education a year. A journeyman works under the supervision of a Responsible Master Plumber and may supervise apprentices. TSBPE publishes no reciprocity agreements; a plumber licensed in another state applies for the same exam, with the training requirement waived and the out-of-state license accepted in place of Texas apprentice registration.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Texas journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Georgia?
- Yes. Texas requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Georgia license?
- At least 2 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Texas journeyman plumber license from Georgia?
- Published fees on this path total $80, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Georgia work hours count in Texas?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Texas's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Texas to Georgia?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Texas to Georgia, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Texas Occupations Code ch. 1301 (Plumbing License Law) - definitions, apprentice/exam prerequisites, fingerprints, renewal and CE · Tex. Occ. Code §§ 1301.002, 1301.354, 1301.3515, 1301.352, 1301.401, 1301.403, 1301.404 · Texas Legislature (statutes.capitol.texas.gov), current through the 89th Legislature 2nd Called Session 2025 · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code § 1301.3581 Reciprocity; § 1301.3585 military applicants; § 1301.403(e) former Texas licensees; § 1301.360 temporary license · Tex. Occ. Code §§ 1301.3581, 1301.3585, 1301.403(e), 1301.360 · Texas Legislature (statutes.capitol.texas.gov), current through the 89th Legislature 2nd Called Session 2025 · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- 22 TAC § 365.1 - License, Endorsement and Registration Categories; Scope of Work Permitted · 22 TAC § 365.1 (eff. 11/23/2022) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (mirrored by Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- TSBPE - Exam Training (48-hour journeyman training program and exemptions) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- TSBPE - Journeyman Plumber (eligibility, how to apply, fees) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- TSBPE - License Types (licenses, endorsements, registrations; renewal and CE overview) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.